Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb batifoler

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The English translation of the French verb batifoler is “to frolic” or “to romp around.” It is pronounced as “ba-tee-fo-lay.”

The word batifoler comes from the Old French word “batifol,” meaning “to play,” and the suffix “-er,” which is commonly used to indicate a verb.

In everyday French, batifoler is most often used in the Subjonctif Imparfait tense, which is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain action in the past. It is often used in conjunction with the conjunction “que,” meaning “that.”

Example 1: J’aimais que tu batifolasses dans le jardin.
Translation: I liked it when you frolicked in the garden.

Example 2: Il fallait que nous batifolassions dans la prairie.
Translation: We had to frolic in the meadow.

Example 3: Elle souhaitait que les enfants batifolassent sur la plage.
Translation: She wished that the children were frolicking on the beach.

Table of the Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of batifoler

Pronoun Conjugation Example Usage English Translation
je batifolasse Si j’avais le temps, je batifolasse dans les champs. If I had the time, I would frolic in the fields.
tu batifolasses Si tu étais avec moi, tu batifolasses aussi. If you were with me, you would frolic too.
il batifolât Il serait heureux si il batifolât à la plage. He would be happy if he frolicked at the beach.
elle batifolât Elle serait contente si elle batifolât dans le parc. She would be happy if she frolicked in the park.
on batifolât Si on batifolât en ville, on se ferait remarquer. If one frolicked in the city, one would stand out.
nous batifolassions Si nous batifolassions ensemble, ça serait amusant. If we frolicked together, it would be fun.
vous batifolassiez Si vous batifolassiez moins, vous vous fatigueriez moins. If you frolicked less, you would get less tired.
ils batifolassent S’ils n’étaient pas fatigués, ils batifolassent avec nous. If they weren’t tired, they would frolic with us.
elles batifolassent Si elles batifolassent dans la rue, ça serait dangereux. If they frolicked in the street, it would be dangerous.

Other Conjugations for Batifoler.

   
    Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

    Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

    Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

    Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler (this article)

    Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler
   

    Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

    L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

    L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb batifoler

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Batifoler – About the French Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense

The French Subjonctif Imparfait, also known as the imperfect subjunctive, is a verb tense used to express actions, states, or conditions that are uncertain, subjective, or hypothetical in the past. It is used in a variety of situations, including wishes, doubts, emotions, and polite requests, and often occurs in dependent clauses following certain expressions and conjunctions.

NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see my article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

To form the Subjonctif Imparfait, you typically start with the third person plural (ils/elles) form of the verb in the imparfait (imperfect) tense. Then, you remove the -ent ending and add the appropriate endings:

– For regular -er verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.
– For regular -ir and -re verbs: je -sse, tu -sses, il/elle/on -t, nous -ssions, vous -ssiez, ils/elles -ssent.

Common Everyday Usage Patterns

1. Expressing Doubt or Uncertainty: The Subjonctif Imparfait is used to express doubt or uncertainty about something that happened in the past.

Example: Il doutait qu’elle vînt à la fête. (He doubted that she came to the party.)

2. Wishes and Desires: It is used to express wishes or desires in the past.

Example: J’aurais aimé que tu fusses là. (I would have liked you to be there.)

3. Hypothetical Scenarios: The Subjonctif Imparfait is employed in hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: Si j’eusse su, j’aurais agi différemment. (If I had known, I would have acted differently.)
4. Polite Requests and Suggestions: It is used to make polite requests and suggestions in a formal or polite tone.

Example: Il souhaitait que vous vinssiez lui rendre visite. (He wished that you would come to visit him.)

Interactions with Other Tenses

Subjonctif Présent

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used in dependent clauses with the Subjonctif Présent in the main clause, especially in complex sentences.

Example: Il faut que tu manges bien pour que tu aies de l’énergie. (You need to eat well so that you have energy.)

Indicatif Passé Composé

The Subjonctif Imparfait can be used alongside the Indicatif Passé Composé to indicate a contrast between a factual event and a hypothetical one.

Example: Il est parti avant que tu ne fusses arrivé. (He left before you arrived.)

Conditional

The Subjonctif Imparfait is often used with the Conditional to express unreal or hypothetical situations in the past.

Example: J’aurais pu le faire si j’eusse eu plus de temps. (I could have done it if I had had more time.)

Conditional Perfect

It can also be used with the Conditional Perfect to express unreal or hypothetical past events that would have occurred before other past events.

Example: J’aurais su s’il eût partagé l’information. (I would have known if he had shared the information.)

Summary

The Subjonctif Imparfait is a relatively complex tense, and its usage depends on the context and the verbs involved. It is essential to practice and become familiar with common expressions and contexts where this tense is appropriate to use it effectively in everyday French communication.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb batifoler. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

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